Straw spreader for combines



Aug. 1l, 1953 F. WICKELL ETAL sTRAw SPREADER FOR COMBINES Filed Feb'. 15. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet INV aimez ATTDRNEYS Aug- 1l, 1953 F. wlcKELL ETAL l y 2,648,542

vSTRW SPREADER FOR COMBINES I Filed Feb. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Shee:l 2

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE STRAW SPREADER FOR COBIBINES Floyd Wickell and Thomas Green, .Mount Sterling, Ohio Application February 13, 1951, Serial No. 210,641

2 Claims.

This invention relates to agricultural equipment, and more particularly to a straw spreader for a combine or harvester.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for attachment to a conventional harvesting and threshing machine whereby the straw discharged by the machine will be scattered effectively and evenly over a wide area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for scattering straw over a wide area Athat issues from a threshing machine as the machine moves along the eld where the grain is being harvested.

A further object of the invention is to provide a straw `spreader which is extremely simple and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention lowmg description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which Vlike numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a harvesting machine, with the straw-spreading mechanism of the present invention attached thereto.;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken through the spreading mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional taken through the spreader mechanism of the present invention;

lFigure 4 is a sectional view taken B- of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the spreader mechanism;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, of the cam arm;

Figure 7 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a conventional combine or harvesting machine which is mounted on wheels 2| and 22. The harvesting machine 20 has an upstanding beam 23 which extends upwardly from on the line the axle 24, and arranged within the machine is ,A

a feeding mechanism 25. The feeding mechanism 25 is adapted to receive straw that has been cut or harvested and the present invention is directed to a straw-spreading mechanism which is indicated by the numeral 23, Figure l. The

straw-spreading mechanism of the present invention is adapted to receive the straw that is discharged or issues from the feeding mechanism '25. The straw is indicated by the letter S in Figure 1, and the straw S issues from the feeding mechanism 25, then passes through the discharge chute 2l, whereby the spreading mechanism 2E of the present invention causes this straw to be spread over a wide area as the machine moves along the field of grain being harvested.

The straw-spreading mechanism 2s of the present invention includes a horizontally vdisposed base or platform 28, Figure 4, and the platform 28 is supported on horizontally disposed, spaced, parallel angle irons 23 and 29, Figure 5. The angle irons 29 and 2S are secured to the lbeam 23 by suitable securing elements, such as boltand-nut assemblies 3G. A U-shaped brace 3l is also secured to the beam 23, the brace 3| being arranged between the angle irons 29 and 29. Bolt-and-nut assemblies 33 serve to connect the angle irons 29 and 29 to the brace 3|.

Arranged over the platform 28 is a cover 35. The cover 35 has its lower end overhanging or overlying the iianges 34, and the vcover 35 is -detachably connected to the flanges 34 by suitable securing elements, such as bolt-and-nut assemblies 33.

Arranged below the cover 35 and supported on the base 28 is a U-shaped bracket 31, Figures 2, 3 and 4. The bracket 37 includes a horizontally disposed web 38 which is secured to the platform 28 by bolt-and-nut assemblies sil, and the bracket 3'! further includes spaced, parallel, upstanding legs 39.

Extending between the pair of legs 38 and :rotatably supported thereby is a horizontally disposed shaft lil. A sleeve 42 is circumposed on the shaft 4|, and a pulley 43 is connected to the outer end of the shaft 4l. A belt M is trained over the pulley 23, and the belt is is also trained over a pulley 45 which is mounted on a power take-off shaft 43. The power take-off shaft 4B may be operated in any suitable manner from within the harvesting machine 20.

Mounted on the other end of the shaft il is a cam lll, and a pin 48 serves to pivotally connect one end of an arm is to the cam al. Arranged on the front end of the reciprocating arm 49 is a casing 53, the casing 5G including a pair of coacting sections 5l which embrace opposite ends of the arm 49. A bearing 52 is arranged within the casing adjacent the end of the arm 49, and a ball 53 rotatably engages the bearing 52. A link 54 is secured to the ball 53, the link 54 riding or slidably moving through a slot 55 in the casing 59. Thus, there is provided a universal or ball-and-socket joint between the link 54 and the arm 49.

The pair of sections 5l of the casing 59 are maintained connected together and assembled on the arm i9 by means of bolt-and-nut assemblies 55, Figure 6. These bolt-and-nut assemblies 59 extend through bores 57 in the arm 49. Also, it will be seen from Figures 6 and 8 of the drawings that the end of the arm 49 within the casing 59 is cut away, as at 58. Further, it will be seen from Figure 8 of the drawings that there is a slight space between the meeting edges of the sections 5i of the casing 50, so that by tightening the bolt-and-nut assemblies 56', the sections 5| can be tightened on the ball 53 and arm 49.

The other end of the link 54 is connected to y a shank 66 by means of a pin or shaft 59. The

shank 50 may be formed integrally with or secured to a horizontally disposed, movable plate 6I. The shank 50 is movable in a slot 65 which is formed in the cover 35, and a plurality of spaced fingers 52 are secured to the plate 5I by suitable securing elements, such as bolt-and-nut assemblies 63. Thus, as the straw S is discharged from the feeding mechanism 25, this straw will fall on the lingers 52 which are being moved back and forth, whereby the straw will be strewn over a wide area as the machine operates.

In use, the straw S is discharged from the feeding mechanism 25, Figure 1, onto the fingers 62 of the straw-spreading mechanism 26. The belt 44 causes the pulley 43 to be rotated, whereby the shaft 4l is turned or driven, and this results in the cam il being rotated. This rotation of cam 47 causes the arm 49 to reciprocate or move back and forth, whereby the link 54 will be actuated to thereby pivot the shank 6i! and plate 6 l Thus, the plate 6I will be rocked back and forth about a vertical axis whereby the fingers 62 will be swung in a horizontal plane to thereby spread or scatter the straw over a wide area.

The mechanism of the present invention can be attached to a combine or harvesting machine, and by means of the mechanism of the present invention, the straw will be spread out over a wide area in the field.

We claim:

l. In a straw-spreading mechanism for attachment to a combine, the combination with a vertically disposed beam, horizontally disposed angle irons projecting rearwardly from said beam and secured thereto, a horizontally disposed platform supported on said angle irons and secured thereto,

flanges depending from said platform, a cover mounted over said platform and connected to said flanges, a U-shaped bracket including a web secured to said platform, and a pair of spaced parallel legs projecting upwardly from said web, a shaft rotatably supported by said legs, a pulley mounted on one end of said shaft and adapted to be connected to a source of power, a cam mounted on the other end of said shaft, an arm having one end pivotally connected to said cam, a casing connected to the other end of said arm, a link pivotally connected to said casing, there being a slot in said cover, a plate slidably arranged in said slot and having a shank connected to said link, and a plurality of spaced fingers extending rearwardly from said plate and connected thereto.

2. In a straw-spreading mechanism for attachment to a combine, the combination with a vertically disposed beam, horizontally disposed angle irons projecting rearwardly from said beam and secured thereto, a horizontally disposed platform supported on said angle iron and secured thereto, flanges depending from said platform, a cover mounted over said platform and connected to said flanges, a U-shaped bracket including a web secured to said platform, and a pair of spaced parallel legs projecting upwardly from said web, a shaft rotatably supported by said legs, a pulley mounted on one end of said shaft and adapted to be connected to a source of power, a cam mounted on the other end of said shaft, an arm having one end pivotally connected to said cam, a casing connected to the other end of said arm,

' a link pivotally connected to said casing, there being a slot in said cover, a plate slidably arranged in said slot and having a shank connected to said link, a plurality of spaced fingers extending rearwardly from said plate and connected thereto, and means for adjusting the tension of said casing on said arm.

' FLOYD WICKELL.

THOMAS GREEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 343,789 Baker June 15, 1886 411,692 Strawson Sept. 24, 1889 1,716,085 Perkins June 4, 1929 1,769,302 MacGregor July l, 1930 1,895,665 Johnson Jan. 3l, 1933 2,085,171 Sheard June 29, 1937 2,554,669 Elofson May 29, 1951 

